Aa
I have GHSV1 and believe that I have contracted GHSV2; can I get some input?
Hello,
I am a 40 male and have had GHSV1 for 8 years from an unprotected oral sex encounter. It was diagnosed visually after I had a primary outbreak on my glans. Since then, I have never tested positive on IGG tests; I am one of those people it doesn't pick up on. I have had my HSV1 status confirmed by western blot several times over the years as part of regular screening when starting new relationships (since I knew that the IGG tests weren't accurate for HSV1 for me, but I would take them anyway just to be sure). I often get outbreaks on my butt and legs, but rarely again on my penis, and they are almost always mild. I also have a 500 mg daily Valtrex prescription that I would take episodically and generally not more than a couple of weeks. I do not have oral outbreaks, so I am not sure if I have OHSV1, but I know I may. I was last screened for HSV by WB in May this year and only tested positive for HSV1. My last sex partner was in Nov 2019, with no unusual activity until now.
On 10/21/20 I had an encounter with a new partner I didn't know well, status unknown. I performed unprotected oral sex on her, and she performed protected oral sex on me (I had no outbreak and took meds that day, but we used protection to be safe). There was no genital to genital contact, but I did finger her a little during oral on her, but she asked me to stop. After she climaxed, she touched her vagina, and a few min later she put a condom on me but struggled to get it on, and I think that she may have transferred some vaginal fluid on me in the process in the process (I mean I didn't see her purposefully do that, it just seems the only way an infection could have happened). She was a bit rough on the oral with the condom, and I was a little sore afterward. I can't recall if I touched myself but may have incidentally. About 20-25 min after the encounter I showered and washed up with soap. She had no visible outbreaks or symptoms (but I know that isn't always an indicator, and foolishly took the risk.
On 10/25/20 I noticed that a patch of small bumps on my glans, but since I occasionally get them I didn't think much of it, they tend to be mild and fade in a few days, but took a 500 mg pill anyway. The following day it was bigger, and by 10/27/20 it was more pronounced. I began to immediately think it was HSV2 and took some photos. Here they are:
https://i.ibb.co/SrFjczJ/Pic-1.jpg 10/27/2020
https://i.ibb.co/4RWH3K3/Pic-4.jpg 10/28/2020
https://i.ibb.co/k0M3yZ3/Pic-3.jpg 10/28/2020 different angle
I was out of town for work all that week, so I could not get to a doctor for an exam/swab. I carry medication with me when I travel and have been taking at least 1000 mg each day since then. The initial crop of lesions has healed, but I have been experiencing irritation/burning sensations and neuralgia in my legs (which is something that I experienced when I contracted GHSV1 8 years ago) even with taking at least two 500 mg doses of Valtrex each day, which is definitely not normal for me. The woman in question has denied that she has anything, but said she would get checked, but hasn't been responding to my questions so I am not sure I will ever find out.
I know that I am definitely at risk for having caught OHSV2 but given the scenario and observations, what is the likelihood that I picked up GHSV2? I was hoping that this was all merely a reactivation of the HSV1, but I am really having my doubts; this is prolonged and strange since I am taking medication. I don't feel like it is psychosomatic; I made peace with my HSV1 diagnosis years ago, and while an HSV2 diagnosis would be tough, it wouldn't be the end of my life so I am not extremely anxious about it or assume every little bump or abnormality is herpes. This just feels different.
I have a few more weeks of work travel ahead of me, so I plan to stay on the meds so I can function without interruption, but once I get through that I plan to lay off of them until I can get tested, but I am really worried that it will be very bad if I do.
Does it seem within the realm of feasibility that she got infected vaginal fluid on me and that the rubbing of the condom on my mucus membrane could have rubbed it in? Any thoughts or input on infections of both types at the same site? Thanks for any insight!!
I am a 40 male and have had GHSV1 for 8 years from an unprotected oral sex encounter. It was diagnosed visually after I had a primary outbreak on my glans. Since then, I have never tested positive on IGG tests; I am one of those people it doesn't pick up on. I have had my HSV1 status confirmed by western blot several times over the years as part of regular screening when starting new relationships (since I knew that the IGG tests weren't accurate for HSV1 for me, but I would take them anyway just to be sure). I often get outbreaks on my butt and legs, but rarely again on my penis, and they are almost always mild. I also have a 500 mg daily Valtrex prescription that I would take episodically and generally not more than a couple of weeks. I do not have oral outbreaks, so I am not sure if I have OHSV1, but I know I may. I was last screened for HSV by WB in May this year and only tested positive for HSV1. My last sex partner was in Nov 2019, with no unusual activity until now.
On 10/21/20 I had an encounter with a new partner I didn't know well, status unknown. I performed unprotected oral sex on her, and she performed protected oral sex on me (I had no outbreak and took meds that day, but we used protection to be safe). There was no genital to genital contact, but I did finger her a little during oral on her, but she asked me to stop. After she climaxed, she touched her vagina, and a few min later she put a condom on me but struggled to get it on, and I think that she may have transferred some vaginal fluid on me in the process in the process (I mean I didn't see her purposefully do that, it just seems the only way an infection could have happened). She was a bit rough on the oral with the condom, and I was a little sore afterward. I can't recall if I touched myself but may have incidentally. About 20-25 min after the encounter I showered and washed up with soap. She had no visible outbreaks or symptoms (but I know that isn't always an indicator, and foolishly took the risk.
On 10/25/20 I noticed that a patch of small bumps on my glans, but since I occasionally get them I didn't think much of it, they tend to be mild and fade in a few days, but took a 500 mg pill anyway. The following day it was bigger, and by 10/27/20 it was more pronounced. I began to immediately think it was HSV2 and took some photos. Here they are:
https://i.ibb.co/SrFjczJ/Pic-1.jpg 10/27/2020
https://i.ibb.co/4RWH3K3/Pic-4.jpg 10/28/2020
https://i.ibb.co/k0M3yZ3/Pic-3.jpg 10/28/2020 different angle
I was out of town for work all that week, so I could not get to a doctor for an exam/swab. I carry medication with me when I travel and have been taking at least 1000 mg each day since then. The initial crop of lesions has healed, but I have been experiencing irritation/burning sensations and neuralgia in my legs (which is something that I experienced when I contracted GHSV1 8 years ago) even with taking at least two 500 mg doses of Valtrex each day, which is definitely not normal for me. The woman in question has denied that she has anything, but said she would get checked, but hasn't been responding to my questions so I am not sure I will ever find out.
I know that I am definitely at risk for having caught OHSV2 but given the scenario and observations, what is the likelihood that I picked up GHSV2? I was hoping that this was all merely a reactivation of the HSV1, but I am really having my doubts; this is prolonged and strange since I am taking medication. I don't feel like it is psychosomatic; I made peace with my HSV1 diagnosis years ago, and while an HSV2 diagnosis would be tough, it wouldn't be the end of my life so I am not extremely anxious about it or assume every little bump or abnormality is herpes. This just feels different.
I have a few more weeks of work travel ahead of me, so I plan to stay on the meds so I can function without interruption, but once I get through that I plan to lay off of them until I can get tested, but I am really worried that it will be very bad if I do.
Does it seem within the realm of feasibility that she got infected vaginal fluid on me and that the rubbing of the condom on my mucus membrane could have rubbed it in? Any thoughts or input on infections of both types at the same site? Thanks for any insight!!
COMMUNITY LEADER
No, that's not how herpes is transmitted. It takes direct skin to skin contact and some fairly serious friction, like the kind with penetration. Herpes - and any STD - is not transmitted by incidental contract with hands and fluids, etc. Hands never transmit STDs.
There is a slight possibility that you'd get oral hsv2, but oral hsv2 is rare. Hsv2 doesn't like the mouth area, and herpes - both hsv1 and hsv2 - doesn't typically go from the genitals to the mouth as easily as it can go from the mouth to the genitals.
Does this look typical of a ghsv1 outbreak for you? I'm a little leery of a visual diagnosis, to be honest. and would love for you one day to get that confirmed with a culture or better, a PCR swab. I'm not saying you don't have it, but you do seem to get it more frequently than usual, and what if not all of it is hsv1? What if some of it is fungal or eczema or something?
The pics do look like it could be herpes, but hsv1 and hsv2 look the same, so I can't tell you if it's your typical hsv1 outbreak, or if it were possible for you to get ghsv2 from this (it's not), if it were ghsv2.
If you want to pursue hsv2 testing for oral hsv2, which I don't think is worth it unless you get oral sores, you can get an IgG test. The hsv1 IgG misses 30% of infections, the hsv2 IgG misses 8%. However, the hsv2 gives a lot of false positives, so keep that in mind. You'd need a WB to straighten that out.
Have you thought about taking the Valtrex suppressively, and see if you get these outbreaks? If you still do, it probably isn't all herpes. Just a thought.
From this encounter, I don't think you have a thing to worry about.
There is a slight possibility that you'd get oral hsv2, but oral hsv2 is rare. Hsv2 doesn't like the mouth area, and herpes - both hsv1 and hsv2 - doesn't typically go from the genitals to the mouth as easily as it can go from the mouth to the genitals.
Does this look typical of a ghsv1 outbreak for you? I'm a little leery of a visual diagnosis, to be honest. and would love for you one day to get that confirmed with a culture or better, a PCR swab. I'm not saying you don't have it, but you do seem to get it more frequently than usual, and what if not all of it is hsv1? What if some of it is fungal or eczema or something?
The pics do look like it could be herpes, but hsv1 and hsv2 look the same, so I can't tell you if it's your typical hsv1 outbreak, or if it were possible for you to get ghsv2 from this (it's not), if it were ghsv2.
If you want to pursue hsv2 testing for oral hsv2, which I don't think is worth it unless you get oral sores, you can get an IgG test. The hsv1 IgG misses 30% of infections, the hsv2 IgG misses 8%. However, the hsv2 gives a lot of false positives, so keep that in mind. You'd need a WB to straighten that out.
Have you thought about taking the Valtrex suppressively, and see if you get these outbreaks? If you still do, it probably isn't all herpes. Just a thought.
From this encounter, I don't think you have a thing to worry about.
3 Comments
Hello, and thank you for the reply. I am hoping to get PCR swabbing done on a future outbreak, but it is really challenging to time that with the unpredictable work schedule I have.
The recent outbreak on my penis definitely wasn't normal for me, but that being said about 3 years ago I had an outbreak on my upper thigh near my groin (back when I wasn't taking meds) that looked and behaved the same way: a cluster of itchy, painful blisters that sort of merged, scabbed and healed. I had a subsequent WB several months later that only showed HSV1, so I know I didn't have HSV2 at that time.
Some of what I have experienced over the years could possibly be other things, however, I do often get small, watery blisters that follow an itch or nerve irritation, especially if I eat a lot of chocolate or peanut butter, so much so that I basically quit eating that. I know it is rare, but I think that I am one of those people that have more frequent HSV1 outbreaks, but they have decreased over time and severity. That is why this seems like more; it's just very pronounced and very uncomfortable. I have been loathe to even attempt to eat one of my trigger foods.
Unfortunately, the situation that I am now facing seems to be getting worse. I decided to go 24 hrs with no medication and am now experiencing even more burning and itching in my legs and groin and now even lower back pain (like a dull ache with no exertions or strains to cause it). These are not symptoms that I have experienced with any real note since that initial HSV1 infection 8 years ago. So, either the HSV1 is going nuts, I picked up another STD or some sort of infection, or HSV2. I think the most frustrating thing about HSV infections is how variable and unpredictable they can be! Is it this, is something else, who knows?! I am going to try and stick it out to wait for diagnostic testing, but it is rough. Today is 21 days since the encounter, and the neuralgia and burning sensations haven't really subsided. But I haven't had another cluster of blisters appear, just some small sore like spots on my lower back and butt, but since I can't say for sure what they are, I am trying not to focus on them.
I have an appointment in two days to get some STD testing done to rule out anything bacterial, but I am not super optimistic about it, but am trying to remain rational about it. Picking up a bacterial infection in this scenario seems even less likely than viral, at least genitally, but I may have picked up an oral bacterial infection, so I may as well get that looked at. If I had, maybe that is impacting my immune response to my HSV1. Maybe.
Question: I know that it seems unlikely to have picked up something from the encounter I had, but, when people self innoculate HSV from one area of the body to the other after a primary infection, they are essentially transferring infected fluids from area to another with their hands, right (except whitlow, I guess a lot of that is probably HSV1 from sucking fingers or biting nails)?
A hypothetical: I don't know (or see) that she did, but if she was having an outbreak right at the time, and had used some of her own vaginal fluid as a lubricant to help get the condom on, that would be a pretty high risk, wouldn't it? She really was rough during the oral once the condom was on, and I was sore afterward. It seems like it could definitely have been rubbed in if that had been the case. She has not been forthcoming in answering my questions about her health.
I tried taking meds suppresively for about 3 months straight early this year, and it did lessen my outbreaks. But, I mostly got it to make dating easier, just to be safe, and if I wasn't expecting to have any sexual contact, I would prefer to not take it. I seemed to get mild headaches from it if I didn't hydrate enough. But the pandemic happened, and well that definitely made dating much harder anyway! The encounter I had 3 weeks ago was largely a random fling that just presented itself, not my normal behavior for sure.
Also, I should correct my previous statement. When I said I got frequent outbreaks I meant more than a couple of times a year, maybe 3-4 times a year for the last couple of years. Not really unbearable, and definitely less over time; at first it was at least monthly.
Also, I just wanted to say thanks again for helping people on here; it can't be easy to read through these posts from desperate and terrified people and offer rational and level headed advice. You and the others on there providing help so are good people!
The recent outbreak on my penis definitely wasn't normal for me, but that being said about 3 years ago I had an outbreak on my upper thigh near my groin (back when I wasn't taking meds) that looked and behaved the same way: a cluster of itchy, painful blisters that sort of merged, scabbed and healed. I had a subsequent WB several months later that only showed HSV1, so I know I didn't have HSV2 at that time.
Some of what I have experienced over the years could possibly be other things, however, I do often get small, watery blisters that follow an itch or nerve irritation, especially if I eat a lot of chocolate or peanut butter, so much so that I basically quit eating that. I know it is rare, but I think that I am one of those people that have more frequent HSV1 outbreaks, but they have decreased over time and severity. That is why this seems like more; it's just very pronounced and very uncomfortable. I have been loathe to even attempt to eat one of my trigger foods.
Unfortunately, the situation that I am now facing seems to be getting worse. I decided to go 24 hrs with no medication and am now experiencing even more burning and itching in my legs and groin and now even lower back pain (like a dull ache with no exertions or strains to cause it). These are not symptoms that I have experienced with any real note since that initial HSV1 infection 8 years ago. So, either the HSV1 is going nuts, I picked up another STD or some sort of infection, or HSV2. I think the most frustrating thing about HSV infections is how variable and unpredictable they can be! Is it this, is something else, who knows?! I am going to try and stick it out to wait for diagnostic testing, but it is rough. Today is 21 days since the encounter, and the neuralgia and burning sensations haven't really subsided. But I haven't had another cluster of blisters appear, just some small sore like spots on my lower back and butt, but since I can't say for sure what they are, I am trying not to focus on them.
I have an appointment in two days to get some STD testing done to rule out anything bacterial, but I am not super optimistic about it, but am trying to remain rational about it. Picking up a bacterial infection in this scenario seems even less likely than viral, at least genitally, but I may have picked up an oral bacterial infection, so I may as well get that looked at. If I had, maybe that is impacting my immune response to my HSV1. Maybe.
Question: I know that it seems unlikely to have picked up something from the encounter I had, but, when people self innoculate HSV from one area of the body to the other after a primary infection, they are essentially transferring infected fluids from area to another with their hands, right (except whitlow, I guess a lot of that is probably HSV1 from sucking fingers or biting nails)?
A hypothetical: I don't know (or see) that she did, but if she was having an outbreak right at the time, and had used some of her own vaginal fluid as a lubricant to help get the condom on, that would be a pretty high risk, wouldn't it? She really was rough during the oral once the condom was on, and I was sore afterward. It seems like it could definitely have been rubbed in if that had been the case. She has not been forthcoming in answering my questions about her health.
I tried taking meds suppresively for about 3 months straight early this year, and it did lessen my outbreaks. But, I mostly got it to make dating easier, just to be safe, and if I wasn't expecting to have any sexual contact, I would prefer to not take it. I seemed to get mild headaches from it if I didn't hydrate enough. But the pandemic happened, and well that definitely made dating much harder anyway! The encounter I had 3 weeks ago was largely a random fling that just presented itself, not my normal behavior for sure.
Also, I should correct my previous statement. When I said I got frequent outbreaks I meant more than a couple of times a year, maybe 3-4 times a year for the last couple of years. Not really unbearable, and definitely less over time; at first it was at least monthly.
Also, I just wanted to say thanks again for helping people on here; it can't be easy to read through these posts from desperate and terrified people and offer rational and level headed advice. You and the others on there providing help so are good people!
Not taking Valtrex for 24 hours -when it's only a once a day dose - shouldn't cause your symptoms, unless you mean that you actually went 48 hours without it, skipping an entire day, like you took it on Sunday night, and didn't take it again until Tuesday night. I'm not sure what the point of that was?
Valtrex doesn't treat neuralgia. It helps prevent outbreaks, which can keep nerve pain lower, especially if that's your prodrome, but taking Valtrex won't help ease that.
So listen. The chances of you getting ghsv2 from this are as close to zero as it gets, for a number of reasons.
Oral hsv2 is rare. When it does happen, it rarely sheds (less than 4 days a year), and rarely ever recurs. The vast majority only ever get the initial outbreak. This means it's almost never transmits. So factor in that so few have it, and if they do, they don't transmit, you didn't get it from this encounter.
Hands don't transmit STDs, even with fluids on them. Herpes requires direct skin to skin contact to transmit, not exposure to fluids.
Autoinoculation - infecting yourself in another location is possible, but it happens when you have a new infection, and haven't had time to develop antibodies yet, within the first couple of months of getting infected. You are well beyond that. Many whitlow cases are in dental professionals who have their hands in people's mouths. It's possible to get it from fingering, but that would be more likely if someone was having an outbreak.
Are you sure the valtrex is causing headaches when you are dehydrated? Maybe it's just the dehydration that's causing the headaches? Headaches are a common symptom of dehydration.
If you were experiencing a sore throat for several weeks, would you make time to go to the doctor? If you were getting a rash on your arm 3-4 times a year, and it was causing pain, would you make time to see your doctor and take meds for it? Maybe you would, or not. I'm asking because a lot of people get caught up in the herpes of it all, and think they shouldn't need meds for it, or that going to the doctor for it is shameful somehow.
Remember that hsv2 is NOT possible here. You had condom protected oral sex. The chances that this is being caused by a new STD from this encounter are very slim. If you've had other possible exposures, definitely test. Maybe try Valtrex for 3 months, and see if that helps, and definitely see your doctor to rule out anything else going on.
Valtrex doesn't treat neuralgia. It helps prevent outbreaks, which can keep nerve pain lower, especially if that's your prodrome, but taking Valtrex won't help ease that.
So listen. The chances of you getting ghsv2 from this are as close to zero as it gets, for a number of reasons.
Oral hsv2 is rare. When it does happen, it rarely sheds (less than 4 days a year), and rarely ever recurs. The vast majority only ever get the initial outbreak. This means it's almost never transmits. So factor in that so few have it, and if they do, they don't transmit, you didn't get it from this encounter.
Hands don't transmit STDs, even with fluids on them. Herpes requires direct skin to skin contact to transmit, not exposure to fluids.
Autoinoculation - infecting yourself in another location is possible, but it happens when you have a new infection, and haven't had time to develop antibodies yet, within the first couple of months of getting infected. You are well beyond that. Many whitlow cases are in dental professionals who have their hands in people's mouths. It's possible to get it from fingering, but that would be more likely if someone was having an outbreak.
Are you sure the valtrex is causing headaches when you are dehydrated? Maybe it's just the dehydration that's causing the headaches? Headaches are a common symptom of dehydration.
If you were experiencing a sore throat for several weeks, would you make time to go to the doctor? If you were getting a rash on your arm 3-4 times a year, and it was causing pain, would you make time to see your doctor and take meds for it? Maybe you would, or not. I'm asking because a lot of people get caught up in the herpes of it all, and think they shouldn't need meds for it, or that going to the doctor for it is shameful somehow.
Remember that hsv2 is NOT possible here. You had condom protected oral sex. The chances that this is being caused by a new STD from this encounter are very slim. If you've had other possible exposures, definitely test. Maybe try Valtrex for 3 months, and see if that helps, and definitely see your doctor to rule out anything else going on.
Oh and thank you for the kind words. :)
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
